7-year-old boy cycling on open terrace falls into creek in Thane; feared drowned

A seven-year-old boy has been feared drowned in the creek along Khartan Road in Thane on Wednesday evening; the boy was cycling on the open terrace of his house near the creek when he lost his balance and fell into the creek; the rescue operations were called off by 8pm as poor visibility made it difficult to continue the search operations. Rescue operations will resume on Thursday by 8am

A seven-year-old boy has been feared drowned in the creek along Khartan Road in Thane on Wednesday evening. The boy was cycling on the open terrace of his house near the creek when he lost his balance and fell into the creek. The rescue operations were called off by 8pm as poor visibility made it difficult to continue the search operations. Rescue operations will resume on Thursday by 8am.

Rescue operations being carried at the creek in Thane, where a seven-year-old boy is feared drowned after falling from the terrace of his home while cycling. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

Rishi Usva went to the rooftop of his home situated in Nagsen Nagar in Thane city and took his neighbour’s cycle to ride. As Usva was riding a cycle for the first time, he lost balance and fell into the creek. This was noticed by some residents residing in the adjacent building and they informed the authorities. Immediately, officials from Thane Nagar police, Disaster Management, TDRF, fire brigade and bike ambulance started the search operations.

Contemplating the heavy flow of creek water owing to the rain, the fire brigade officials were stationed at different spots along the creek in the city right up to Kopri in Thane (E). The search operations went on for over two-and-a-half hours using boats, but the boy was not found.

“Due to the heavy rains and continuous water flow in the creek, we ensured that there are officers at all such points including the creek at Kopri. With low lighting, it was difficult to continue the search operations and hence we had to call off and resume on Thursday morning,” said an officer from the disaster cell.

“The child is very naughty and sneaked out of the house onto the terrace of the home situated along the creek. Without the knowledge of the family members, he took a neighbour’s cycle and tried to ride. It was only when those from the adjoining building noticed the child falling into the creek amidst heavy rainfall that we came to know about the incident. Usva’s father is a vegetable vendor. Usva has a 12-year old brother and a younger sister,” said Jitendra Usva, uncle of the missing child.

The boy resides with his family in the chawl situated along the creekside that has flat roofs without any barricading. “The child went atop through the staircase and due to the incessant rainfall no one heard him going up or heard him falling into the creek. The child’s mother is distraught after the incident and was under the assumption that he was playing in his neighbour’s house,” said a neighbour.